Finland national bandy team

Finland
Association Finland's Bandy Association
Head coach Finland Antti Parviainen
Team colors          
First international
Grand Duchy of Finland Russia 1 – 12 Sweden Sweden
Helsinki, 11 March 1907
Biggest win
Finland Finland 23 – 0 Belarus Belarus
Haparanda, 25 March 2001
Biggest defeat
Sweden Sweden 15 – 2 Finland Finland
Trollhättan, 22 November 1998
Bandy World Championship
Appearances 35 (first in 1957)
Best result 1. (2004)

The Finnish national bandy team has taken part in all the Bandy World Championships for men since the competition was launched for the first time in 1957. Finland won the championship title in 2004. They have always finished in the top four, and have won 27 medals in 35 championships.

The team is controlled by Finland's Bandy Association.

History

Finland was represented by the club Polyteknikkojen Urheiluseura (PUS) in the winter games in Helsinki in 1907, but the team was beaten by a team from Sweden.[1]

When Finland had become independent, Finland's first international was against Sweden in Helsinki on February 23, 1919, and Finland won 4-1 in front of 6000 spectators. One of the spectators was C.G.E. Mannerheim.[1]

Finland, Norway and Sweden played bandy at the Winter Olympics in Oslo in 1952. After having seen them there, the Soviet Union invited these three countries to a four nation bandy tournament in 1954. This was the first time a Soviet national bandy team met other national bandy teams. The four countries used somewhat different rules prior to this tournament, but the rules were adjusted to be the same for the future.[2]

The first ever World Championships of bandy were organised in 1957 in association with the 50th anniversary of the Ball Association of Finland, which at the time was the governing body of bandy in Finland. It was played at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Finland's Bandy Association was founded in 1972.[1]

World Championship record

Tournament Final standing
Finland 1957  Silver
Norway 1961  Bronze
Sweden 1963  Silver
Soviet Union 1965 4th place
Finland 1967  Silver
Sweden 1969  Bronze
Sweden 1971  Bronze
Soviet Union 1973  Bronze
Finland 1975  Bronze
Norway 1977  Bronze
Sweden 1979  Bronze
Soviet Union 1981  Bronze
Finland 1983  Bronze
Norway 1985  Bronze
Sweden 1987  Silver
Soviet Union 1989  Silver
Finland 1991  Bronze
Norway 1993  Silver
USA 1995  Bronze
Sweden 1997  Bronze
Russia 1999  Silver
Finland and Sweden 2001  Bronze
Russia 2003 4th place
Sweden 2004  Gold
Russia 2005 4th place
Sweden 2006  Bronze
Russia 2007  Bronze
Russia 2008  Bronze
Sweden 2009  Bronze
Russia 2010  Bronze
Russia 2011  Silver
Kazakhstan 2012 4th place
Sweden and Norway 2013 4th place
Russia 2014 4th place
Russia 2015 4th place

Current squad

Finnish squad at the 2014 World Championship in Irkutsk, Russia, January 26 – February 2, 2014.[3]

Pos. Age Name Club
GK 37 Timo Oksanen Sweden Bollnäs GIF
GK 30 Kimmo Kyllönen Sweden IK Sirius
DF 28 Ilari Moisala Sweden Brobergs IF
DF 35 Pekka Hiltunen Sweden HT-Bandy
DF 31 Antti Ekman Sweden HT-Bandy
MF 22 Samuli Helavuori Sweden Bollnäs GIF
MF 39 Kimmo Huotelin Finland Kampparit
MF 28 Ville-Veikko Angeria Finland Akilles
MF 34 Ville Aaltonen Sweden Bollnäs GIF
MF 29 Juho Liukkonen Sweden Bollnäs GIF
MF 27 Tomi Hauska Sweden Vetlanda BK
MF 26 Anssi Hänninen Finland JPS Jyväskylä
MF 26 Samuli Koivuniemi Finland OLS Oulu
FW 31 Mikko Rytkönen Finland JPS Jyväskylä
FW 31 Tomi Tukiainen Finland Akilles
FW 27 Mikko Lukkarila Sweden IFK Kungälv
FW 26 Markus Kumpuoja Sweden Hammarby IF
FW 39 Sami Laakkonen Russia Dynamo Kazan

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "The Finnish Bandy Federation, in English". Finnish Bandy Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  2. ↑ Claes-G Bengtsson (23 November 2007). "Sargens entré förändrade bandyn" (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  3. ↑ "Tässä Suomen jääpallojoukkue MM-kisoihin" (in Finnish). Yle Urheilu. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.

External links

Finnish Bandy Federation